Annecy 2018: 23 Animated Feature Films In Official Selection

The Annecy International Animation Festival has revealed its official selections for feature films that’ll be screened in competition and out of competition at its 2018 edition.

The festival selected 10 features in competition, which will compete for the Annecy feature film Cristal Award, as well as 13 features that will screen out of competition.

It would appear to be the most diverse year ever in terms of the geographic origins of the selected films films. The 23 features were made in 23 different countries: Belgium, Cambodia, France, Luxembourg, Italy, Chile, Canada, Japan, U.S., Estonia, Ireland, U.K., Brazil, Colombia, China, Switzerland, Russia, Norway, Sweden, Iran, Germany, Taiwan, and Mexico.

The films in competition tackle a range of subjects uncommon in commercial animation, including the Cambodian genocide (Funan), the wall separating Israel and Palestine (Wall), a retelling of Exodus with new twists (Seder-Masochism), and an experimental nightmarish stop-mo fairytale (The Wolf House).

Considering the dearth of woman animation directors of American features, it’s worth pointing out that the two U.S. features selected are both films directed by women: Seder-Masochism by Nina Paley and North of Blue by Joanna Priestley. Overall, seven of the 23 selections were directed by women.